Your opinion of the best singer of all time
 

If you go simply on range I would have to say Mariah Carey but a lot of people don't like her. If you go on style I would have to say Ben Gibbard

It's Mike Patton. No one has greater range than Mike Patton, and he's done more for music than so many people.

Ben Gibbard, bleh. I like The Postal Service. Doug Martsch is what Ben Gibbard wishes he could be, in like, everything.

I'm a big Ronnie James Dio guy.

OH MAN, I HAAATE DIO.

I really feel like a huge, jerky hatefest in this topic. Man, fuck me.

yes, he's amazingly diverse. either him or Bowie. me Bowie fanboy

AND

lest we forget, Don Van Vliet aka Captain Beefheart had the definitive blues voice and the range to accomodate his music. He could sing lines like 'cheese in the corner with a mile long beard' and make them profound. infact he probably takes the title for me. could have been one of 'the greats' if he'd sung otis redding songs

Beefheart
Dio
Serj Tankian
Anthony Green
EDIT: hell how did I forgot the man on my wall Freddie Mercury?

This.

Past favorites of mine have included Layne Staley, Maynard James Keenan, and even Isaak Brock before he spelled bad news with Good News... I'm forgetting some I'm sure. I'm in a hurry.

yes and no.

i'm a huge Patton fan and while he's done a lot for his music i don't know how much i'd say he's done to spread that to the masses.

i'd say Freddie Mercury did more for bringing music (and an amazing voice) to the people.

i also think Chris Cornell had one of the best hard rock voices going while he was fronting Soundgarden.

Thom Yorke should at least be name dropped into this discussion as well. while the later Radiohead stuff colours everything with effects his vocal work on their early albums is definitely note worthy.

Tim Buckley, probably the best singer ever in any genre.
If you don't believe me then listen to "Starsailor" and prepared be blown the **** back...